Wall or ceiling treatment



v4* /IlnllllllllllllmI/IIIII'IIIA INVENTOR.

MA A/La y la PR/cs BY A fro R uc V t AA. a LA lf-i .mr'

M. R. PRICE Filed June 1l. 1949 WALL 0R CEILING TREATMENT v uw f April 19, 1955 United States Patent O WALL R CEILING TREATMENT Manley R. Price, Lakewood, Ohio Application June 11,v 1949, Serial No. 98,418

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) The invention relates to an improvement in building surface treatment, and particularly to a simple and inexpensive means for supporting acoustical and other tile on Walls and ceilings of buildings and other enclosures, thus indicating the principal object.

Other objects include provision of: a new and improved means for receiving and holding fasteners such as screws, so called annular (transversely ribbed) nails and barbed nails in the securing of building panels, tile and the like to supporting framework elements; an improved metallic nail and/or screw holding ground member of structural nature (metal lumber); an improved hollow nail and/or screw holding beam structure and suspending or mounting means therefor; an improved manner of attaching acoustical and other tile to metallic supports; and other improvements relating to the attachment of relatively frangible wall or ceiling facing elements, particularly mineral (e. g.) acoustical tile, to supporting structures. The invention includes an improved form of driver tool for inserting screw type fasteners in the application of acoustical tile to walls or ceilings.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description of the illustrative or preferred embodiments shown in the drawing.

Figs. l and 2 are vertical sectional views at right angles to each other, showing a supporting channel for tile or the like suspended from a structural beam of conventional form, the plane of the section of Fig. 1 being indicated by the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view or projection of the structure shown in Fig. 2, showing additionally one corner of an acoustical tile of the regularly perforated type. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on a plane such as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and showing also in section a portion of an acoustical tile and a securing screw passing therethrough and engaging the screw receiving web of the supporting beam. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on a plane such as indicated by the line 5 5 on Fig. 4, at right angles to the plane of Fig. 4, and showing adjacent screw receiving apertures and the contacting sheet and acoustical tile. The plane of the section of Fig. 5 is also indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a group of adjacent fastener-engaging perforations. the area of the fragment being selected at the left-hand side of Fig. 3 and adjacent to the section indicating line 4-4 on Fig. 3. The planes of the sectional views of Figs. 4 and 5 are also indicated on Fig. 6 by lines 4--4 and 5-5, respectively. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are drawn on the same enlarged scale, being substantially three times that of the scale of Figs. l, 2, and 3.

ln Figs. l and 2 a single beam 1 represents one of a plurality of parallel channel members adapted to serve as a groundwork or framework (e. g. rafters for overhead constructions). The groundwork would be studding in vertical walls. The invention will be described, for convenience only, as applied to suspended ceiling constructions. l

Crossing the channel beams 1 and attached thereto by spring clips or hangers 2 are channel members 3 (one clip and one channel shown), each having a web 4 and two flanges 5. The channels 3 are attached rmly against the beams 1 by the clips 2. The marginal portions 6 of the anges 5 are turned inwardly so as to be downwardly convergent and horizontally spaced apart.

The clips or hangers 2, in the form shown, are bi- Cil ICC

symmetrical single piece strips of spring metal preferably of relatively light gauge, having spring fingers 8 with beam-flange-engaging latch or hook portions 9 whose operation and function are apparent from Figs. l and 2; depending arms 10 twisted as at 11 or 11a Fig. 4 to divert the metal of the strip into parallelism with the associated flanges 6; doubled hook portions 12 to underhang and snugly support the flanges 6 (usually in engagement with the anges 5 of the supported channel 3), and a cross-connecting tie portion 13. The ends of the tie portions (parts of respective hook formations 12) constitute reinforcing or form-retaining elements for the hooks. The hooks preferably have their bight portions spaced from the associated edges of the ange portions 1 so that the supports for the channel 3 will be independent of possible flexure of those flange portions. The tie 13 acts as a strut to maintain the hooks 12 in snug engagement with the channel 3. By making the twisted portions of the clips or hangers 2 as at 11a, Fig. 4 (broken lines), so that they overhang the anges 6 somewhat closer thereto than as illustrated in full lines, the workman can mount the clips or hangers 2 on the channels 3 approximately in proper position; then slide the clips to final position, and finally snap the latch portions 8, 9 into place over the top lianges of beams 1 without having to give any attention to the matter of malligtaining the connection of the clips with the channe Throughout the length of each channel member 3 (or for whatever portion of it may be necessary), and preferably for the major portion of the width of the channel web, the latter has the screw or nail holding treatment 14 which is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6. As shown, this treatment comprises closely spaced, form-pierced centrally apertured depressions 15. The metal treatment can be approximately the same as that effected to form well known household food graters, the depressions being fairly close together and constituting generally circular, centrally apertured and broadly conical dimples contiguous to each other on the underside of the web and similar broken-rim hollow projections on the top side as exhibited by Figs, 3, 4, 5, and 6. An important feature is that no metal is removed by the form-piercing operation. Around the apertures 16, where the forming dies draw the metal approximately as illustrated, into a relatively thin somewhat irregular rim 17, the metal is split usually into as many separate points or spring-tongue-forming sections as there are corners on the male forming die. The male dies are polyfaceted and blunt, somewhat on the order of the point of an ordinary nail as designed for use with wood. As appears 1n Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the major portions of the lower surfaces of the web 4 slope toward associated apertures 16 so far as it is possible to obtain that characteristic or elfect. Between the surfaces sloping toward the associated apertures the metal presents convex or rounded ridges such as indicated at 19. As appears in Figs. 4 and 5, these rounded intervening ridge portions between the depressed sloping surfaces lie in the same plane with the flat marginal portions of the web 4. The pattern and of course the size of the apertures 16 and the spacing of the depressions 15 are selected in accordance with the cross sectional size of the fasteners (e. g. screws) which are to be used to secure the facing members to the channels 3 in case the ground is in the form of channels.

The form-piercing treatment 14 may be carried out continuously as a rolling operation or non-continuously as a succession of stamping operations. Preferably it is done before the metal is formed into the desired structural shape. Otherwise the form-piercing treatment tends to Warp the metal section by imposing or releasing stress or strain.

The fasteners for securing the tile or surface treatment to the channels 3 may be barbed or transversely ribbed or annular nails. Light gauge staples 20 of conventional form may be used to attach sealing cover treatment 21 to the channels 3. When such sealing cover, usually paper, is used (as preparatory treatment before attaching the tile) the staples 20 are applied along the center of the channel 3 or midway between its sides as indicated in Fig. 2. The staples 20 do not have to afford a very strong attachment for the sealing treatment since vthe sealing sheet material has very little weight and will be rmly attached and supported by the tile when the latter are fastened as described below.

The tile (examples fragmentarily shown at 22 and 23, Figs. 3 and 4) are preferably secured by screws 25 (one shown). I recommend using coarse pitch threads shown as spiral ribs 26 preferably extending for approximately the full length of the shanks, particularly if the tile are to receive faster-engaging reinforce members such as 30 (Figs. 3 and 4), to be described later. The screws 25 may have blunt points 25a, so as more readily to slide off the rounded ridges 19 formed between adjacent form-piercings than would be the case if the screws were sharply pointed. Usually the fasteners are applied at a selected one of each set (e. g. four) of relatively shallow perforations 27 (really sockets) located near associated corners of each tile; although additional shallow sockets are customarily provided along the tile margins. Dilerent ones of the set of shallow sockets at the illustrated corner portions are shown engaged by the fasteners 25 in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.

Due to the low density of the usual acoustical tile whether of vegetable or mineral composition, the screws 25 may move laterally in various directions so as to nd their way easily into the closest aperture 15 of the ground channel 3, although not aligned therewith in the required placement of the tile. The four-pierced sockets are close enough together so that it is seldom necessary for the fasteners to be inclined out of position normal to the principal plane of the tile more than a few degrees.

It is apparent that the torn-apart rims of the formpiercings comprise ratchet-like tongues which are displaced by the fastener shanks to enable the Shanks to enter the apertures 16 easily, but strongly to resist reverse movement of the .Shanks when engaged with the apertures. The tongues become work-hardened or toughened by the form-piercing operation and can withstand displacement by so called annular and barbed nails which are firmly held by the tongues if driven into the apertures 16.

Related to the use of the present invention is the provision of means to reinforce relatively frangible (e. g. acoustical) tile such as commonly made from moulded or pressed glass bers or rock wool. Those tile are usually secured by adhesives and are not ordinarily adapted to be held by screws. Figs. 3 and 4 show relatively thin and flat plate-like inserts 30 which can be made of readily penetratable material such as aluminum, so called plastics, hard fiber and other materials which are stiif enough to enable insertion into place as illustrated, that is into position to intercept the pointsgof the fasteners 25 and retain the heads against possibility of crushing the mineral tile material.

In effect the inserts 30 enlarge the tile-retaining shoulders provided by the fastener heads many times their area. The fasteners may make their own receiving openings in the inserts 30, although suitable openings (not shown) could be prearranged in appropriate positions for engagement thereby. Fig. 4 shows the full-length-threaded type of screw 25, earlier mentioned, the head 31 of which ahuts the under face of the insert 30 while the threads near the head are in screw threaded engagement with the insert. The devices 30 can be applied so as to register with or intersect the axes of any desired nurnber of perforations of the tile likely to receive fasteners. Their positions, for placement of the fasteners, can ge determined readily by inspection of the tile edge suraces.

The inserts 30 can be pointed as indicated in Fig. 3 to assist in maintaining the proper direction toward the desired perforation or location to receive the fasteners..

A distinct advantage of use of the inserts 30 in perforated acoustical tile, regardless of the type of material composing the tile, is that all the tile perforations can be of the same depth (not illustrated) which makes formation of the tile somewhat simpler since it enables any perforation near the margins or corner portions of the tile to be used as fastener locations with assurance of obtaining the necessary tile-supporting strength. The inserts 30 remain parallel to the principal planes of the tile in which driven or pushed, being usually guided by the ber laminations which remain undisturbed slightly beyond the body-penetrating edges of the inserts as the latter are driven into the tile. A machine for convenient and rapid insertion of inserts such as 30 is shown and described in my Patent No. 2,599,283, granted June 3, 1952, for Screw and Screw Hold Applying Machine for Acoustical Tile and the Like.

In practice, screw fasteners, such as 25, may be driven into acoustical xtile or through other building panels and the like by power-driven screw drivers, it being only necessary to locate the zone of the perforated treatment of the channels. The screws may thus be driven blind and each screw will find the nearest fastenerreceiving opening 16, as stated, sliding off one of the rounded ridges 19, formed between the form piercing depressions 15, if it should rst encounter a ridge portion. A screw holding and driving tool, commonly known as a jig driver and widely used for such a purpose, is shown and described in my Patent Reissue No. 23,201, granted February 2, 1950.

' I clairn:

l. In a building construction, a channel runner of metal having side anges and a llat web portion, a wall panel of relatively yieldable material lying against the web of said channel, and fastener elements passing through the panel and web portion, the web portion of the channel having an area extending longitudinally of the web and for the greater portion of the width of the web, and in which area are formed a multiplicity of closely spaced perforations in the form of funnel-like depressions extending inwardly from the panel-contacting surface of the web. the depressions all having inwardly sloping and converging surfaces deformed from the flat material of the web and terminating in porforations, and the perimeters of said perforations being formed of separated jagged yieldable segmental fastener-locking tongues, the depressions within the borders of said area having their outer perimeters dened by contiguous mutually common rounded intervening ridge portions having substantially line contact only with the surface of the panel in the area of the depressions and perforations, said fastener elements having spiral ribs and said segmental fastener-locking tongues being spread and engaging the ribs of said fastener elements and thereby holding the panel against the web of the channel, said rounded ridge portions of the channel web serving to guide the fastener elements into such engagement.

2. The structure defined in claim l in which the material forming the inwardly sloping depressions is progressively thinner toward the perforations, and in which the segmental resilient fastener-element engaging and locking tongues are Work-hardened.

References Cited in the le of this patent,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,511 Carpenter Apr. 25, 1876 265,421 Kacer Oct. 3, 1882 299,842 ONeill June 3, 1884 977,710 Craig Dec. 6, 1910 1,299,232 Rosenberg Apr. 1, 1919 1,345,443 Hood July 6, 1920 1,369,353 Rabe Feb. 22, 1921 1,926,686 Newton Sept. 12, 1933 2,101,001 Balduf Nov. 30, 1937 2,160,794 Price May 30, 1939 2,225,574 Thomson Dec. 17, 1940 2,235,235 Price Mar. 18, 1941 2,242,834 Price May 20, 1941 2,282,624 Apson May 12, 1942 2,333,388 Poupitch Nov. 2, 1943 2,410,413 Hurley Nov. 5, 1946 2,413,568 Hurley Dec. 31, 1946 2,415,540 Simmons Feb. 1l, 1947 2,417,243 Eggert Mar. 11, 1947 2,421,446 Wallis et al. June 3, 1947 2,425,798 Hall Aug. 19, 1947 2,448,109 Michael Aug. 31, 1948 2,457,147 Hall Dec. 28, 1948 2,476,506 Olsen July 19, 1949 

